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1921 BIRDS OF MONTANA 95 



points not far from the mountains, in spring and fall. Thus I have noted it at 

 Bozeman, October 8, 1908, and in the Prickly Pear Valley, near Helena, March 

 19, 1911. 



Only one finding of the nest is on record. Four eggs, advanced in incuba- 

 tion, were secured at Flathead Lake, June 28, 1901 (Silloway, 1901a, p. 57). 



187. Perisoreus canadensis capitalis Ridgway 



Rocky Mountain Jay 



A common permanent resident throughout the western half of the state, 

 occurring in the mountains and mainly in the Canadian zone. Its range is 

 almost exactly like that of the Black-headed Jay, it having been recorded from 

 all mountain ranges where observations have been made except the Big Horn 

 Mountains in the southeastern part of the state. The easternmost points where 

 it has been recorded are Rocky ^lountains, along the northern border (Coues, 

 1874b, p. 608) ; the Belt IMountains (Williams, 1882a, p. 62) ; Fergus County 

 (Silloway, 1903a, p. 42) ; and Park County, where I have noted it on Traill Creek 

 and in Tom Minor Basin. Its range extends a little higher into the mountains 

 than that of the Black-headed Jay, it being sometimes seen in the Hudsonian 

 zone, very likely breeding there. At certain times of the year it is much more 

 abundant than the Black-headed Jay. 



The movements of the Rocky Mountain Jay in the mountains, and its sudden 

 changes from rarity to extreme abundance, are not yet satisfactorily explained. 

 From late in February until early in August it is seldom seen, but from August 

 to February it is very common, appearing about camps in considerable numbers, 

 ])ecoming exceedingly tame and sometimes troublesome. If one stops to eat a 

 lunch in the forest, at any time in late summer or fall, the birds arrive silently, 

 apparently from nowhere, and wait their opportunity to feast on the remnants. 

 In 1910 I was in the mountains in camp from late February until October. After 

 February 26 and until August 5 I have but twelve records of this species, nearly 

 always but a single bird at a time. After August 5 and until October the species 

 was seen almost daily, and usually in large numbers. Not one bird was seen in 

 the month of March, when the species is supposed to nest. However, at that 

 season it is almost impossible to get into the higher mountains, where the birds 

 very likely breed. They are almost equally scarce in the month of July. 



So far as I know, no record of the nesting of this species in Montana is 

 known. It probably nests in the month of March or in early April. I secured a 

 female in Gallatin County, February 26, 1909, which on dissection showed that 

 the breeding season was approaching, but I know of no other evidence from 

 Montana to show when the species breeds. 



188. Corvus corax sinuatus Wagler 



Raven 

 A permanent resident, occurring throughout the state, but rare or local in 

 distribution. In the northwestern part it is fairly common in the mountains. In 

 most other localities it is reported rare. In Custer and Dawson counties it is 



